"The trend of increasing case reporting in the midst of a declining prevalence of violence in general is a good thing because it means that people are starting to have the courage and confidence to make a complaint report through the available complaint services," Women's Empowerment and Child Protection Minister, Bintang Puspayoga, said during a webinar, accessed from here on Wednesday.
Social media platforms have also helped cases of violence against women and children come to light, she added.
"The massive use of social media has also contributed to the uncovering of various cases of violence," she noted.
Based on the 2021 National Women's Life Experience Survey (SPHPN), 26.1 percent of women have experienced physical and/or sexual violence perpetrated by a partner or others, which means, one in four women aged 15–64 have experienced violence during their lifetime, she added.
"It should be noted that this figure has decreased in total if we compare it with the survey in 2016," Puspayoga pointed out.
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She said her administration lauds women who have gathered the courage to bring the cases of violence to light.
"This is also inseparable from the courage of women in breaking down social constructs that have been silencing women," she added.
She then urged people to show appreciation for the women's initiative and encouraged them to motivate other women to come forward.
"Obviously it is our collective duty to continue to maintain the trust of women who were brave enough to unravel the violence they have experienced or know and also provide motivation for other women who are still living in the shackles of discrimination," she said.
The government has made various efforts to protect and cater to victims of sexual violence, she informed. They include the issuance of Regulation Number 30 of 2021 by the Education, Culture, Research, and Technology Ministry, which was created to address cases of sexual violence in tertiary education institutions, she said. The Religious Affairs Ministry has also expressed support to this policy, she added.
Meanwhile, the Sexual Violence Criminal Act Bill, which was conceived in 2016, is yet to be ratified even after six years, she highlighted. Several people have asked the government to immediately ratify the bill in the wake of several victims of sexual violence speaking up about their experience, she noted.
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Translator: Anita P D, Mecca Yumna
Editor: Suharto
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